Is KIDstuff Worth Changing Your Schedule For? September 28, 2009
Posted by rshort in : 4-Events , comments closed
Ever find yourself locked in a battle of wills with….yourself? You know, like something out of a classic Bugs Bunny cartoon when Bugs has a tough choice to make? “Poof!”…a little Angel appears on his shoulder to tell him what to do but before he can act…”poof!”…here comes a little devil on the other side with an opposing opinion. And there Bugs stands helpless between the verbal volleyball that ensues as each tries to guide him with advice that, on the surface, makes sense. How to choose?
A year ago I found myself in a similar scenario as my family considered whether or not we should attend KIDstuff. I knew it had been going on for while and that the families who attended absolutely loved it. I knew that there was energetic kids worship music, funny skits, and engaging story-telling — guess I wouldn’t be much of a Kid’s Quest staff member if I didn’t know these things — but I just couldn’t get over it being scheduled at 12:30 pm.
My family normally attends Sundays at 10:45 am. I don’t know about your kids but when mine get home they’re normally starving and getting a little testy with each other. As soon as Lon concludes the service we attempt the great escape to get home quick so we can hurry through lunch and nap time. Sound familiar?
Here’s the funny thing, though. No matter how quickly I grab the kids from class and race to the parking lot, all that rushing leads to…sitting in the parking lot for half an hour with everyone else trying to do the same thing! Until my dilemma over KIDstuff, it hadn’t occurred to me that perhaps rushing my kids out the door and getting frustrated in the parking lot might be contributing to the cranky kids that came home.
So one KIDstuff Sunday, we decided to just try it. I planned for the worst. I packed a bag lunch, extra snacks, a favorite toy, a book, and even a change a clothes in case there was an accident. Yeah, I know I sound crazy. But I bet a few of you are taking notes to make your own checklist now!
At least I was prepared for anything. Or so I thought. What I wasn’t prepared for was how completely uninterested my kids would be in anything I had packed to keep them entertained and cranky-free. They were uninterested because KIDstuff captured their attention right from the start.
As we approached the Smith Center lobby just before 12:30 pm, we could feel the building excitement and anticipation as a crowd of kids waited with their faces pressed against the glass doors, willing them to open. It was like that moment in High School Musical 2 (I know I’m not the only parent to have been subjected to HSM over a 100 times) where the students start chanting “summer…summer…summer…” as the seconds tick down on the classroom clock on the last day of school. And when those doors opened, it was like the gun shot that jumps the sprinters off the starting block to begin racing like mad towards the finish line. It was the most beautiful moment of chaos watching all those kids running in the Smith Center doors, anxious to worship and learn about God. Although my kids are normally a little timid in such a scene, they were completely caught up and couldn’t wait for KIDstuff to begin.
You know one of the things that made KIDstuff such a unique worship experience? My kids didn’t have to sit in the back of the room. They didn’t have to sit still. And they didn’t have to be quiet. In fact, they were encouraged to laugh and wiggle and jump and make all kinds of noise. This was definitely a place that told my kids that they were welcome to be kids.
And as a parent, I wasn’t bored either. The production value was amazing. This wasn’t like sitting through the tortuous hour-long Thanksgiving show at my son’s school. It was a real show with talented actors, singers, and dancers who made the Bible come alive on stage. Coming home, my kids couldn’t stop talking about KIDstuff. It was such a great platform for conversations about what they were learning at church. And since I heard the same lesson they heard in their class, I was able to turn that one experience into spiritual conversations that lasted all month. Sure we ate lunch a little late and nap times were pushed back that day, but we all survived just fine. And my kids had so much fun at KIDstuff they were begging to go again.
Perhaps you have concerns of your own about the schedule adjustment your family might have to make to go to KIDstuff. Maybe your family goes to the 9:00 am service. Maybe you return for Awana Club on Sunday evenings. Maybe you have a lot of other activities to factor like sports. I’m not saying your concerns are invalid or wrong. You know your family best. But I will say this. There are only 6 KIDstuff productions a year. Just 6. Can your family make the adjustment just 6 times?
As a 45 minute show, the 6 total just 4.5 hours a year. Think about it, in 4.5 hours a year, you can have a tremendous impact on your child’s spiritual growth. Those 4.5 hours are packed with intentional family worship time, learning God’s Word, and having fun as a family. Consider what your presence at KIDstuff can communicate to your kids. You demonstrate that you care about them and what they’re learning at church. You demonstrate that being in God’s house and with God’s people can be an enjoyable experience. You demonstrate that worshiping together as a whole family has value. Suddenly church is not just a place where you go one way and your kids go another. It’s a family experience. Is that worth 4.5 hours of your year?
Maybe, just maybe, your family can handle a schedule adjustment for just 6 times a year. Will you start with just 1?
Click here to learn more about KIDstuff. Friends and their families are welcome! Invite someone to come with you!
2009-2010 Schedule: 12:30 pm in the Tysons Campus Smith Center
October 4 - Join us as we explore the virtue Individuality: discovering who you are meant to be so you can make a difference. You’ll meet Individuality Man and follow Private “I” in solving a mystery.
November 1 - The virtue Cooperation is coming next!
February 7
March 7
May 2
June 6
P.S.
Already a fan of KIDstuff? Want to share what KIDstuff has meant to you? Email me your story at romney.short@mcleanbible.org. We’d love to hear from you!
New MBC Website September 25, 2009
Posted by rshort in : 6-Operations , comments closedPreviously we had announced MBC was launching a new website. The new website is now here! But it came with a few unexpected twists along the way.
First, our staff member who managed the Kid’s Quest website left our team very suddenly to take advantage of an amazing missions opportunity. We certainly could not stand in the way of God’s calling! However this meant not being able to make major changes to our web pages right away. Thank you to all of you who participated in our survey. We will be working on design changes in the future to best meet your online needs. For the launch we decided to focus on simply transferring all critical content.
Second, on the eve of the launch we learned that the web address we had announced earlier was changing to a shorter web address - less for you to type! Since many bulletin blurbs and fliers were submitted for printing in advance, you may experience some trouble getting certain links you see advertised to work. Bookmark the Kid’s Quest at the Tysons Campus home page at mbctysons.org/kidsquest. If you’re having trouble getting to one of the pages you’re used to accessing using one of our direct links, you should be able to still find it by going to out main Kid’s Quest homepage at mbctysons.org/kidsquest. Click on the child’s picture for all event info. Click on the family picture for all weekend programming info, including Awana enrollment. And click on the individual’s picture for all volunteer information.
Please pardon the mess as we get everything back online and fix glitches. If there’s something you can’t locate, you see an editing mistake, or experience a link error, please let me know at romney.short@mcleanbible.org.
Below is a message from our Tysons Campus Pastor, Dr. Joe Henriques, sharing with you more details about this website change:
Tysons Campus now has its very own website - mbctysons.org! This is a big change for our MBC Tysons Campus community so I wanted to provide you with a quick list of FAQ’s to help you through this transition. The information below is provided by the MBC Communications Department.
Q. Why did you make this change? Was this change necessary?
A. The decision to improve our web presence was made to better serve our multi-campus strategy. Because McLean Bible Church is “one church in multiple locations” we needed to make some changes to our web presence to reflect our multi-campus presence in the Washington, DC Metro area.
We created mbctysons.org to be the home page and web site for EVERYTHING that happens within the context of the Tysons Campus. That includes adult and family ministries, community groups, small groups, Access, Kid’s Quest, The Rock, Cross Cultural Ministries, Weekend Hosts Teams, McLean University and any other ministry that happens directly under the purview of the Tysons Campus. You will also find information on mbctysons.org about City Impact and Caring Ministries under the link for MBC Cares. The Resources link has information about small group resources, sermons, the CD ministry, the Bookstore, the Cafe, the Coffee Shop and other resources.
Q. What is happening to mcleanbible.org?
A. The mcleanbible.org site is now functioning as MBC’s central web site, housing all the centralized functions of our church that are not campus specific. This information is replicated on each campus page so campus pages have ALL the information on mcleanbible.org and campus specific information. Each campus web site has ALL THE SAME INFORMATION as the mcleanbible.org site, so don’t worry that you are missing out on anything by not visiting mcleanbible.org. However, the mcleanbible.org site does not have *campus specific* information, so if Tysons campus is your home, please immediately think of mbctysons.org as your new home page.
The MBC Central site remains mcleanbible.org. Think of that site as the “30,000 foot view” of information about our church, campuses and ministries. There you will find information about sermons, our radio ministries “So WHAT?”® and “Not a Sermon, Just a Thought”®, our senior pastor Lon Solomon, our core ministries, elders, executive leadership, and other information that is central to who we are as a church. Also, on the central site you will find information about central MBC ministries that care for the individual, the local community and the world.
Q. Where do I find the most recent sermons?
A. The best place to find the audio and video of the most recent sermons is at mbctysons.org, in the center of the page. You may also click on resources to access sermon archives. Please note we are still working on making the sermons searchable and more accessible, so, bear with us as we continue improving the sermon archive functionality.
Q. What is happening to City Impact?
A. City Impact now has their own web site cityimpactdc.org and is linked to each campus web site, primarily under MBC Cares. You may access City Impact information by going directly to cityimpactdc.org or by clicking on MBC Cares.
Q. How do I access the Caring Ministry or the Counseling Center?
A. Link to those specific ministries under MBC Cares
Our new web presence is still a “work in progress,” and we know that there are bugs and bad links that still need to be worked out. Please grant us grace as we work to perfect our sites over the next several weeks. If you cannot find the information you are looking for please call our main switchboard at 703-639-2000 and a person can assist you.
Dr. Joe Henriques, Tysons Campus Pastor
Phone 703.770.2978 | joseph.henriques@mcleanbible.org
Understanding Elementary Small Groups September 21, 2009
Posted by rshort in : 6-Operations , comments closed“Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:25 (NIV)
Why do you have small groups for children?
We believe that kids need another voice saying the same thing as their parents. We also believe that kids need someone in their lives who believe what they believe. The friends kids spend time with will influence the decisions they make in life. This “someone” may start out as just their Kid’s Quest leader but as kids grow, this need to connect with friends has even greater significance. Kids, just like adults, need an Acts 2 church, a place of fellowship and prayer. They need a place for open and honest dialogue so that they may be encouraged in their faith. No production can match the power or influence of a Christ-centered, Biblically-based community in which God intends to grow a child’s faith stronger and stronger. Outside the influence of family, we feel there is very little that can match the impact of a leader’s consistent prayers and presence, particularly in a small group setting.
Why is it important to come to the same service consistently?
Kids who consistently attend the same service time every weekend are placed in a permanent small group, meaning they meet with the same Kid’s Quest leaders and same group of peers each week. We strongly encourage families to commit to a consistent service time so their kids can build significant and trusting relationships with their leaders and peers. While this is still possible in a less consistent group, relationships have the best chance of deepening with more regular time spent together.
What is On Deck?
On Deck is a term we use in our Elementary classes for kids who are unable to commit to a consistent service time or are visiting. An On Deck small group is formed for the day-of only. On Deck groups still consist of a purposeful community of kids and the On Deck leaders teach from the same curriculum and are committed to sharing and modeling Christ’s love. The only difference between a permanent small group and an On Deck small group is that the On Deck group of kids will vary from week to week and your child may or may not recognize their peers.
How can I move from On Deck to a permanent Small Group?
Should your schedule change and your family is able to consistently attend a service time, contact the appropriate Small Group Coordinator (see list below) and we will assign your child to a permanent small group if and when space allows. Please be aware that this could take up to 6-8 weeks if a new permanent small group needs to be formed.
- Saturday Kin-1st: Kim Roscoe, 703-639-2000, x1044 or kim.roscoe@mcleanbible.org
- Saturday 2nd-5th Grade: James Whitley, 703-639-2000, x1062 or james.whitley@mcleanbible.org
- Sunday Kin-1st Grade: Katharine McKenny, 703-639-2000, x1052 or katharine.mckenny@mcleanbible.org
- Sunday 2nd-3rd Grade: Abigail Gustine, 703-770-3150 or abigail.gustine@mcleanbible.org
- Sunday 4th-5th Grade: Julie Christou, 703-639-2000, x1054 or julie.christou@mcleanbible.org
How can I become a Small Group Leader or sub for my child’s Small Group Leader?
If you are interested in becoming a Small Group Leader or a sub , contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Alessandra Torres at 703-770-2902 or alessandra.torres@mcleanbible.org or click here to go to our volunteer opportunities webpage.
Prince William Kid’s Quest Update September 18, 2009
Posted by rshort in : 6-Operations , comments closed 
Kid’s Quest at Prince William launched this past weekend, Sunday, September 13! Below is a message from Mary Scott, the Prince William Kid’s Quest Director:
What a blessed morning it was and substantial answers to prayer were seen today! God’s provision and faithfulness were completely evident in every detail and it is a privilege to be a part of this new campus as we serve the Lord together at McLean Bible Church. Here’s a very brief report of our launch day from a Kid’s Quest perspective -
- 9:00 am service: We had 374 adults, 102 children, and 21 KQ volunteers.
- 10:45 am service: We had 508 adults, 120 children, and 21 KQ volunteers.
We were thrilled to see children coming in to learn that God is always watching over me (Preschool) and that Wisdom is worth searching for (Elementary). We had several opportunities to pray with parents and children today and share His love in some very tangible ways of caring for the Body. Although we didn’t have fully enough volunteers we didn’t have to close any classes and have already met with and plugged in a few new volunteers. Specifically, two dads stepped forward today after realizing that God would equip them to care for a group of boys. What an amazing morning! “Give thanks to the LORD for He is good; His love endures forever!”
We did have several criers today as this was new to so many little ones but our staff and volunteers hung in there! Each week should get better as the children become accustomed to the new environment and their leaders.
We definitely have some really open spaces for volunteers in each area. However, God knows our needs and always supplies. A really big Thank You to the Tysons KQ staff who prepared such a great volunteer recruiting video and accompanying materials that we pray will result in much “volunteer fruit” for us, too.
Finally, I am so blessed and honored to have such an amazing team of women on our Prince William KQ staff - they always say when you hire people to select people smarter than yourself. That is definitely what God has done for me. I praise Him for Teresa, Stella, Angela and Stephanie! I also thank Him for the excitement of continuing to serve Him as one church in different locations.
Warmly,
Mary Scott, Prince William Kid’s Quest Director
Click here for more information about Kid’s Quest at Prince William.
Let’s Talk September 14, 2009
Posted by rshort in : 4-Events , comments closedLast week I sat my two boys down together on my bed for a conversation about God.
Me: What’s sin?
My eldest: Not listening.
My youngest: Fighting.
Ok, this is good. They’ve got some clue after all. Feeling pretty good.
My eldest: Not sharing my Wii.
My youngest: Fighting over the Wii.
Sensing a theme here but it’s all good still.
Me: And why is sin soooooo bad?
My eldest: Because it’s not nice.
Me: Yes, that’s true, but there’s more to it than that. Sin separates us from God. And in order to be in God’s family we have to be perfect. Do you know what perfect means?
My eldest: You don’t do anything bad?
Me: Something like that. Do you think it’s possible to be perfect?
My eldest: Yes…if you practice.
Hmmm….tricky…wasn’t expecting that. What a clever boy!
Me: No, no one can be perfect. Don’t we make mistakes a lot?
My eldest: Yeah. I forget…and then I start fighting. (sigh)
His chin dips down and he has the most pathetic, dejected look on his face.
My youngest: Me too. (more sighing)
And now two heads are down - an oscar-worthy performance. Time to tell them the best part!
Me: I forget, too, sometimes. But did you know that God loves us so much, that He sent us his son, Jesus, to take our sins away. And if we trust Jesus, who is perfect, we can join God’s family?
Heads are looking up now. A captive audience.
Me: And do you know what that means? It means we can join God’s family and live with God in Heaven one day! Do you remember that verse we memorized, John 3:16?
My eldest: I do, I do! “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”
Oh what proud mommy moment!
Me: What is eternal life?
My eldest: It means being a good mom.
My youngest: Yeah!
And…the proud moment has passed. Talk about a curve ball. Redirect!
Me: To have eternal life means we get to live forever with God in Heaven one day. Do you know what Heaven is?
Together: It’s God’s house!
My youngest: But I don’t think God has enough room for me.
Me: Well, the Bible says that God promises to make a place just for you. He’s got a big house.
My youngest: Mommy, God’s house is on a cloud but we just don’t know which one.
My eldest: And he’s got a big table.
Um…ok. Where’s he headed with this?
My eldest: And a big yard…where we can play football. Touch down!
As he throws his hands in the air to make the touchdown sign he breaks out into the song “Big House” which I suddenly recall is often sung during Kid’s Quest Large Group time. So cute…but I’m derailed again!
Me: What do you think Heaven will be like?
My eldest: I’m going to get in God’s car with him. He drives a cloud car.
Uh oh, no stopping this snowball now.
Suddenly my youngest bounces upright and leaps, full body, on top of his unsuspecting brother who had been lazily reclining on his back with his arms behind his head. With his face now completely covered by the kicking legs of his brother, he pounds his fists into the bed and starts yelling, “Hey, stop that. This is sin! This is sin!”
Oh bother!
Ever have a conversation like this in your home? You try to talk to your kids seriously about God and you don’t experience the Norman Rockwell moment you pictured? Do you get nervous about not having the “right answers?” Or maybe you’re struggling just to figure out how to start the conversation? Sometimes it feels so awkward!
Our Elementary Director, Betsy Riggan, once told me, “Don’t worry about having the perfect conversation. Just focus on having conversations, period.” How right she is! You don’t need a personal speech writer to talk to your kids about Jesus. Just get them talking and into the habit of having spiritual conversations with you, even if things get off track. Think about it, you’re not limited to just one conversation. Isn’t that thought so liberating?
If you’d like some help from us about talking to your kids about Jesus and how they can have a personal relationship with him, consider participating in Starting Zone. Starting Zone will present your kids with the gospel message, equip you to have intentional conversations at home, encourage and celebrate with you when your kids are ready to make their own decision to join God’s family, and prepare your kids for later making a public declaration of their faith through a baptism ceremony.
The first step in the Starting Zone experience is to attend a “Start Your Engines” Class, a gospel presentation designed for you and your kids to attend together. Our age recommendation is children 7 years & up but you can bring them whenever you feel they’re ready and you can come back as many times as you like. Classes are free but registration is required. The next classes are:
- Saturday, September 26, 2009 from 5:30-6:00 pm, in Room 1207
- Sunday, September 27, 2009 from 9:30-10:00 am, in Room 1207
- Saturday, October 17, 2009 from 5:30-6:00 pm, in Room 1207
- Sunday, October 18, 2009 from 9:30-10:00 am, in Room 1207
Click here to learn why we offer Starting Zone, what the Starting Zone experience entails, and to register online.